Vehicle and exerciser



Feb. 27, 1940. M. H. HUNTER VEHICLE AND EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1938 w M W 2. p

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Feb. 27, 1940. M. H. HUNTER VEHICLE AND EXERCISER v Filed June is, 1958 2 sheets-s eet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented'Feb. 27, 1940 I UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFiCE 2,191,568 VEHICLE AND EXERCISEB Michael H. Hunter, Hammond, Ind. Application June 15, 1938, Serial No. 213,943

ZClaims. (01180-223) My invention relates to vehicles and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of novel propelling means with the vehicle so I designed as to additionallyconstitute an exerciser.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vehicleembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44' of Fig.2;

, Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the clutch '15 mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view along the line 'I-'l of Fi 5; j' Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 88 of Fig.

Fig. 9 is a View taken from the position indicated' by line 9-9 of Fig. 7 with certain parts broken away for the sake of, clearness; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the drum units associated with the clutch mechanism.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my in vention, I make use of a frame II] having a tubular guide I2 which rotatably supports a shaft I4 forked at I6 for connection with a front wheel I8 in the manner of conventional bicycle constructions. Handle bars 20 are connected with the shaft I4 for turning purposes. The rear. end of the frame IB is supported by two wheels 22 5 which'supply traction for the vehicle.

Frame II) carries an upright frame 24 which is braced through the medium of diagonal members 26'. A movable frame 28 is pivotally connected at 30 with the frame I0 and carries footboards 32 supported through the medium of brackets 34. An upper frame 38 is pivotally connected at 38 with the frame I0 and carries a seat 40. Frame 36 includes a right angular bar 42 interbraced by a diagonal member 44. 45 Frame, 28 is actuated about its axis through the medium of the footboards 32 while the frame v36 is actuated through the medium of the weight of theoperator seated on the seat 4|]. The two frames pivot simultaneously but in opposite directions, which action supplies power for propelling the vehicle. Fig. 3 illustrates the upstanding frame 24 as being provided with a 'shaft 45 upon which grooved wheels 48 and 50 are rotatably mounted. To the lower end of the member 42, I connect a 16 by bolts I I8.

fixedly connected with the shaft I M and is in turn anchored to the frame II}.

Zforward, neutralor rearward position.

loop 52 to which cables or ropes 54 are attached. These cables or ropes pass around the grooved wheels'50. To the rear ends of the bars 55 comprising the frame 28, I connect loops 58 which, in turn, are connected with cables or ropes 60 5 passing around the grooved wheels 48.

In Fig. 5, I illustrate the hubs 62 and 64 associated with the wheels 22 as being mounted on axles 66 which are axially aligned. These axles are rotatably supported'by bearings 68 carried 10 by cross members I0 and I2 having right angular bends I4 bolted to frame members I6 paralleling the axles. Axles Gli are bored at I8 for the reception of a connecting shaft or axle part 80. To the inner end of each axle part I56 I fixedly con- 16 meet a clutch sprocket 82 by a pin 84 which also keys one end of the connecting shaft or axle 89.

Upon the inner ends of the axles 66 I rotatably mount drums 86. Each drum is provided with three flanges 88 spaced to provide grooves or channelsilll and 92. Each drum includes two channels. The cables or ropes 54 actuated through the medium of the seat of the vehicle are wound upon the drums 86 in the channels 92, but the ropes are Wound in opposite direc- 25 tions so that simultaneous unwinding of the ropes will rotate the drums in opposite directions. The ropes or cables 80, actuated through the medium of the footboards, are Wound upon the drums 85 in the channels 90, which ropes or cables are also wound in reverse directions in the same way as the ropes or cables 54.

Each drum 86 is provided with a closure plate 94 connected with one flange 88 thereof through the medium of bolts 96. Within each drum 86 I mount a cam disk 98. The disks 98 are provided wtih tubular extensions Iflll which are slidable through openings I02 in the plates 94. One of the tubular extensions I88 carries a neck I 04 extending into the other extension and fixedly.40

connected therewith by set screws I06. The extensions ,IIlI) are spaced to provide an annular channel I08 within which pins III) of a forked lever H2, extend. This lever is fixedly connected with-a shaft I I4 rotatably supported by a bracket "45 III; fixedly. connected with one of the members A right angular arm I28 is connected with a rod I22 having its opposite end connected at I24 with the lower end of a lever 60 I26 pivotally connected at I28 with a bracket I39] Bracket I30 includes a quadrant I32 which cooperates with the pawl I34 of the lever I26 for latching the same in a Adjustment of the lever I26 shifts the cam disks 98 longitudinally of the connecting shaft 86. Forward or rearward motion of the vehicle is determined by the position of the cam disks 98, while in the neutral position of the lever, the frames 28 and 36 may be actuated through the medium of the footboards 32 and the seat 40 without imparting propelling motion to the vehicle. Under such conditions, the vehicle may be employed as an exerciser.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I illustrate one of the drums 86 and the clutch mechanism associated there-.

with. The clutch mechanisms associated with the two drums are identical in construction and operation so that the description of one will apply to both. Fig. 8 illustrates two clutch dogs I36 and I38 as being pivotally mounted at I46 upon the end wall of the drum 86. Clutch dog I36 includes a right angular bar I42 having a cam edge I44 near its outer end (see Fig. 5). Similarly, clutch dog I38 includes-a right angular bar I46 having a cam edge I48 (see Fig. 5).

The bars I42 and I 46 are urged inwardly of the clutch sprocket 82 by springs I56, each having one end connected with its respective bar and its opposite end connected with an anchor screw I52 threaded into the drum 86.

The positions of the clutch dogs I36 and I36 are determined by the position of the cam disk 68. Fig. '7 illustrates the cam disk 98 as lying Within the recess I54, at which time the bar I46 has latching relation at I56 with the tooth I56 of the cam sprocket. Thus, a pull on the cable or rope 66 connected with the drum 86 will impart rotary motion to the clutch sprocket 82. Such rotation of the sprocket imparts rotary motion to the wheel axle for propelling the vehicle.

Referring again to Fig. 7, it will be noted that the bar I46 parallels one side of the face of the tooth I 56 so that it will remain in such relation even though forces are applied thereto. However, rotation of the drum 86 in the opposite direction will bring the tooth I60 into engagement with the bar, but the angularity of the tooth with respect to the edge of the bar is such as to cause the latter to lift, which is also true with respect to engagement of the bar with succeeding teeth during rotation of the drum in the same direction. It will thus be' seen that the bar and the clutch sprocket constitutes a ratchet mechanism.

The clutch disks 98 of Fig. 9 are illustrated under adjustment for forward speed of the vehicle. By moving the lever to the forward dotted line position of Fig. 2, the cam disks 96 will be shifted to the dotted line positions I62, at which time the clutch mechanisms are adjusted for rearward motion of the vehicle. With the lever I26 adjusted to the central portion of Fig. 2, the cam disks 98 will take the positions I 64, at which time the clutch mechanisms are in neutral. In moving the cam disks 93 to the I64 positions, the disks pivot the clutch dogs I36 and I36 outwardly from their respective clutch sprockets 82 sufficiently far to hold them out of engagement therewith.

In operation, the structure of Fig. 5 embodies a double clutch mechanism so arranged that as one drum is being rotated for propelling purposes, the other drum is being rotated in the opposite direction for positioningthe ratchet feature so as to impart propelling motion to the drum as the direction of rotation of the drums is reversed. The vehicle is operated by manner as the cables or ropes 66.

units operate in the manner of ratchets so that ditions.

leg and body movement for oscillating the frames 28 and 36. Fig. 2 illustrates the range of movement of the two frames. As the frame 28 pivots upwardly, the cables or ropes 66 are wound upon the drums 86, but the drums are simultaneously rotated in opposite directions because of the reverse winding of the cables or ropes. At the same time. the cables or ropes 54 associated with the frame 36, which pivots downwardly as the frame 28 pivots upwardly, are unwound from the drums 86, but the cables or ropes 54 are also reversely wound in the same The clutch continuous motion is imparted to the vehicle through the medium of the two oscillating frames. By adjusting the lever to the central or neutral position of Fig. 2, the cam disks 98 render the clutch dogs I36 and I 36 inoperative is fixedly related to the arm 'II2 through the medium of the shaft II I so as to function as a bell crank. Thus, a rearward pull on the lever I26 when in the full line position of Fig. 2, will tend to shift the frame to theright or the axle structure to the left for bringing the flanges. I66 and I68 into frictional engagement with their respective members 12, see Fig. 5. The axle parts 66 are rotatably J'ournaled in the frame, and the frame is characterized by limited movement longitudinally of the axle structure.

Drums 86 in combination with their respective plates 94 provide chambers which may be filled with a suitable lubricant for lubricating the internal mechanism. At the same time, such lubricant acts as a silencer for the moving parts.

While I have described a transmission mechanism adjustable to forward, rearward and neutral positions, it is obvious that the vehicle, in any adjusted position of the transmission, will function as a coaster when traveling either forward or rearwardly under suitable road' con- Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may,

by applying current knowledge, readily, adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim: V

1. A vehicle including a frame having a supporting wheel and drive wheels, a seat pivotally connected with said frame, foot operated propulsion means pivotally connected with said" from said drums when said seat and the footactuated propulsion means are moved, about the axes of their pivotal connections with said frame and said seat and the foot actuated propulsion means being arranged for simultaneous pivotal movement in opposite directions to impart simultaneous rotation of said drums in opposite directions, ratchet mechanisms enclosed in said 7 drums and cooperable with the latter and said axle for rotating the latter to drive said drive wheels, ratchet mechanism adjusting means slidable longitudinally of said axle for adjusting the a ratchet mechanisms to forward, rearward and neutral conditions, and means for shifting said ratchet adjusting means.

2. A vehicle including a frame having a sup-' porting wheel and drive'wheels', a seatpivotally connected vwith said frame, foot operated pr0- pulsion means pivotally connected with said ated propulsion 'lneans and Wound oppositely on said drums, said lines being wound on and unwound from saiddrums when said seat and the foot actuated propulsion means are moved about the axes of their pivotal connections with said frame and said seat and the foot actuated propulsion'means being arranged for simultaneous pivotal movement in opposite directions to impart simultaneous rotation of said drums in opposite directions, ratchet mechanisms enclosed in said drums and cooperable with the latter" and said axle for rotating the latter to drive said drive wheels; ratchet mechanism adjusting means" inside said drums for adjusting the ratchet mechanisms to forward, rearward and, neutral conditions; sleeve means slidable longitudinally of said axle for actuating" said ratchet mechanism adjusting means, and a lever actuated linkage mounted on said frame and connected with said sleeve means for actuating the latter.

MICHAEL H. HUNTER. 

